Skylar Grey is one of the most talented vocalists in the world. She has written songs and collaborated with artist like Eminem, P. Diddy, Rihanna and Dr. Dre. On Sept. 23, Grey released her own album “Natural Causes,” which is filled with music that belongs solely to her own unique genre-bending style. She borrows percussion from hip-hop, melodies from pop and vocals from soul and R&B.
The lights Grey performed with at Crescent Ballroom Wednesday night illuminated her from all sides and changed moods as she did, switching from an intense rap section to soul-searching singing in the course of the same song. She was more subdued than usual, as she was fighting off an illness on tour, but I managed to get backstage and ask her a few quick questions.
WW: First off, strong work on performing with a cold.
SG: Oh, thanks. I had to sit out of a few notes that I usually hit that were really high. Couldn’t do it. But, I mean, nobody notices so I just keep it going. It’s just harder for me to put out the same energy.
WW: What’s it been like on tour so far? And how did you feel about the venue tonight?
SG: Well, this is the second time I’ve played this venue and I love it. They always treat us really well, the food is really good, and the crowd is just a cool group of people. On tour so far it’s been great, and every night I’m noticing more and more people knowing the lyrics to the new songs on the new album. So that’s exciting for me because the first show was a couple people, and then tonight it was even more than any night so far.
WW: Have you seen a lot of people knowing the songs from Suicide Squad as well?
SG: Yeah, I saw people singing along to those as well.
WW: Was that a cool experience, getting to do the movie?
SG: Yeah, absolutely. I love working on movies. It’s like my favorite thing to do. Because, I think, to me a movie is the ultimate form of art. It’s acting, screenwriting, cinematography, music, all these different elements coming together to make one piece. So it’s exciting to be a part of that. And I also love when I’m asked to write for a movie or something. The inspiration is kind of laid out for you … It’s kind of a fun challenge to write specifically about characters or something happening in a story.
WW: About the characters, did you get to meet Jared Leto and Margot Robbie?
SG: Yeah, I’ve met Jared. I actually opened for 30 Seconds to Mars years ago. And then I met Margot at the premiere. She was so sweet.
WW: What went into the album?
SG: The album was a three-year process. A lot changes in three years, though. I went through multiple evolutions, stylistically, during those three years, so by the end it was kind of hard to choose what songs I wanted to put out on the album. But I think I got a cool mix. It’s diverse for sure; there’s definitely a wide range of sound on the album, but not so much that it doesn’t work together. I guess all my songwriting comes from me fighting my demons every day in my lyrics. It’s about the ultimate quest for happiness. Even though the title is “Natural Causes,” which sounds very morbid, it’s actually a play on words because I’m a nature freak. I get a lot of my inspiration from nature, so the album’s actually about life more than it is death. Even though the tone of it is kind of moody and dark, and you first hear “Natural Causes” you think “morbid,” which works because the sound is dark, but then when you dig deeper, it’s actually about life.
WW: What would you define as your aesthetic?
SG: I guess it goes with my style and also with my songwriting. I don’t feel like I have to stay in a box or be specific to a genre. I like to push the boundaries and be experimental. So I think maybe experimental is the best way to describe it. Moody and experimental.
WW: Is that where Woodrat comes from?
SG: Woodrat is a clothing line I’m starting, and it’s inspired by the fact that I work in music which puts me in cities and studios and stuff like that all the time, and I work with mostly rappers and stuff, and then I live in the woods. So from the hood to the wood! Woodrat instead of hoodrat. Another play on words, right there.
Contact the author at William.Weinstein@asu.edu. Contact the columnist at Emily.Liu@asu.edu.
